Helpful hints on upgrading to Dynamics AX 2012

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Arbela

Why AX2012 is different?

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 uses a source-to-target upgrade model that lets business user’s work at maximum efficiency during an upgrade. In previous versions of Microsoft Dynamics AX, all upgrade tasks were performed on a single production system. A substantial part of the upgrade process was spent in single-user mode, and during that time, the system was offline for regular users. Difficulties that arose during the upgrade had to be resolved under time pressure before normal business operations could resume. However, in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, you preprocess your business data on the source system, which is the system that runs Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 or Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009, while that system is live. This approach frees you from time pressure and does not require that normal operations stop.

While data on the source system is preprocessed, you build your separate, offline target system, which is the system that runs Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. When preprocessing on the source system is completed, and the target system is ready, you enter single-user mode on the source system. You then bulk copy your data into the target system, run post-synchronization upgrade scripts, and perform testing. At this point, the target system can go live.

 Supported upgrade paths for AX2009 to AX2012:

 For additional information regarding installation document Deployment and Installation guide,AX2012 for Retail

 

Steps to perform before the upgrade:

  1. Backup your Database after each test upgrade iteration to resume the upgrade from the back up.
  2. Backup customizations i.e. * .aod files for layers customized in source environment.
  3. Verify that you have an appropriate amount of space on your target system’s hard disk and in your database transaction log.
  4. Activate Multisite functionality using Multisite Activation wizard.
  5. Create a Test environment for upgrade.
  6. Verify the SQL server is set up for best performance like processors, memory, or storage and a dedicated server is recommended for data upgrade process.

Source Environment set up for Code Upgrade:

  • Import the preprocessing XPO as shown below in AX2009 in USR Layer. Be sure to back up your application files (*.aod) and label files (*.ald) before you import the preprocessing XPO. You will need these files for code upgrade on the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 target system.
  • Make sure that “Import with ID Values” is cleared in Import Dialog.
  • During synchronization, the Problems during synchronization message box may warn you that tables will be dropped. You should be aware of what objects are being over-written so that you can stop the process if necessary and merge your custom code with the XPO code for objects common to them both. To allow an object to be overwritten, click Yes.
  • Restart AOS after the import.
  • Install option upgrade files if needed. See details below:
  • If you have changes to Classes related to Batch Framework, back up those as XPO. XPO files that are related to batch processing are included in the Database Upgrade\XPO folder. One file is included for each upgrade path that is supported:
  1. PrivateProject_Ax40PreUpgradeFramework_Batch.xpo
  2. PrivateProject_Ax50PreUpgradeFramework_Batch.xpo

These XPO files roll back any customizations that you have made to the batch processing class on your source Microsoft Dynamics AX system and it is recommended to reduce downtime during upgrade.


  • Open the PreProcessing Checklist “SysCheckList_PreUpgrade50″ located in the AX50PreUpgradeFramework project.
  • Run through the PreProcessing Checklist Items to prepare the database for Upgrade
  • If the upgrade scripts don’t run after opening the cockpit, jump to step #15  and follow the steps there to setup the batch server. Then come back to this point and continue.
  •  In the System Parameters checklist Item, select “en-us” as the default language and click on the “Set to Ready for Upgrade” button.
  • In the Company Priority setup, click on the “Set to Ready for Upgrade” button.
  • In the Product Upgrade Form, click on the Synchronize button and then on the Product Mapping -> Map all items 1:1. Click on the “Set to Ready for Upgrade” button after doing these steps.
  •  In the Units form, click on the “Automatically assignment” button.
  1. Set all decimals to 2
  2. Set all Unit classes to “Length”
  3. Click on the “Validate” button to make sure no errors are found
  4. Click on the “Set to Ready for Upgrade” button.
  •  In the Pre-Upgrade of Unit Conversions checklist item click on the Validate button and then on the “Set to Ready for Upgrade” button.
  •  In the Pre-Upgrade of Unit Texts click on the Validate button and then on the “Set to Ready for Upgrade” button.
  •  In the Pre-Upgrade Data checklist item you might need to configure the Batch Server and Batch Server Groups if the Live PreProcessing scripts don’t start running. In order to do so, go to Administration\Setup\Server Configuration
  • Make sure that only the machine you are using has the Is Batch Server checkbox checked. Now go to the Batch Server Groups tab and select the DataUpdate Batch Server Group
  •  Another configuration that is required to start running these jobs is the Batch Group form. You can access this in Administration\Setup\Batch Groups
  •  Select the DataUpdate Batch Group and go to the Batch Servers tab.
  •  Make sure the machine you’re running the upgrade on is on the Selected Servers list on the left side pane.
  •  After running the Live PreUpgrade, continue with the next checklist items (Validate Pre Upgrade, check Single User Mode and Single User Mode Upgrade)
  •  Once the checklist is finished, the PreProcessing stage is done. Uninstall AX50 (don’t drop the database) and you are ready to go to the AX6 steps.

NOTE: Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 lets you preserve and reuse the preprocessed data that is created on a test source system. Therefore, you can reduce preprocessing time on your production source system.  Use 

Starting an Upgrade from the Target Environment i.e. AX2012:

  1. Install Dynamics AX 2012. Make sure you have Administrator access to install on the computer.
  2. Make sure you have the set  permissions specific for the upgrade below :
  3. Setup Ax 2012 pointing the AOS to a new Database. Specify a different database name for the Model Database. Make sure you select the “Register Database for Upgrade checkbox:”
    1. At this stage, you should have 3 databases in your system: Database
  •  The AX50 PreProcessed database
  •  The new AX6 database
  • The new AX2012 model database
  1. Start AX 2012 and run through the Upgrade checklist
  2. In the Provide License Information step, specify the license.
  3.  At this point, the Target Environment upgrade process is started. Make your way through the first five checklist items

Data Upgrade Stages:

  • Source DB connection step:

In the Source DB connection step, specify the server name where the Source Database is located and the Source Database name. Click OK once this information is entered.

  • PreSynchronize step:

This step loads the Upgrade cockpit. Depending on which stage you started the Upgrade Process; you might need to configure the Batch Groups and Batch Servers. Once this configuration is set, click the Run button. PreSync scripts should start running at this stage.

  • Create Tables Step:

This step synchronizes the database. No special steps need to be taken here.

  • Generate table and field mapping:

This step generates table and field mapping between source and target systems. There should be no mapping with error.

  • Generate Bulk Copy and Script Prioritization Step:

Bulk Copy Priorities and Script-Table dependencies are resolved in this step. No special steps need to be taken here.

  • Launch Data Upgrade Step:

This step loads the Upgrade cockpit. Once the cockpit is loaded, click on the Run button and the Post Sync scripts should start running.This is where the data is actually copied from the Source Database to the Target Database based on the Mappings found in the Generate Table and Field Mapping step.
Upgrading a non-Retail Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 system to a Retail version:

This will be minor version upgrade as base version for source and target environment is same.

 Install the Microsoft Dynamics AX Feature Pack components and models:

These steps add the Retail related files to the target system

1. Close any open clients on your Microsoft Dynamics AX system.

2. Open the CD folder of the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack distribution DVD, and navigate to the updates folder.

3. (Skip this step if Cumulative Update 2 (CU2) has previously been installed.) In the DynamicsAX2012-KB2606916 folder, double-click the AxUpdate file to install the update. Specify the correct databases to upgrade, select all the other components that are offered, and then click through the wizard.

4. (Skip this step if your Microsoft Dynamics AX kernel version is 6.0.947.862 or higher.) In the DynamicsAX2012-KB2650968 folder, double-click the AxUpdate file to install the update. Select all the component updates that are offered, and then click through the wizard.

5. In the CD folder, run Setup.exe.

6. Under Install, click Microsoft Dynamics AX components.

7. Click through the wizard to the Review license terms page, select I accept the license, and then click Next.

8. On the Ready to install page, click Install to install setup support files and updates for the support files.

9. On the Modify Microsoft Dynamics AX installation page, select Add or modify components, and then click Next.

10. On the Add or Modify Components page, select Databases, and then click Next.

Do not select any of the Retail components for installation at this point. The system upgrade must be completed before you install the Retail components.

11. On the Prerequisite Validation page, satisfy any prerequisites, and then click Next.

12. On the Select databases page, select Configure existing databases, and then click Next.

13. On the Configure existing databases page, accept or provide the name of the SQL Server computer and the database names, and then click Next.

14. On the Select additional models page, select Extensions and Extensions Upgrade, and then click Next.

15. On the Prerequisite Validation page, satisfy any prerequisites, and then click Next.

16. On the Ready to install page, click Install.

17. When setup has been completed successfully, click Finish.

Update data:

Use this procedure to synchronize the Microsoft Dynamics AX databases that have been modified, and to run the required upgrade scripts.

1. Restart the AOS.

2. Open the Microsoft Dynamics AX client. If the Extensions and Extensions Upgrade models were installed correctly, a window opens with the message: “The model store has been modified.” Select Start the software update checklist, and then click OK.

After a brief compile, the Software update checklist opens.

You can also open the Software update checklist manually. You must open the checklist manually if it fails to start automatically, or if you close the client before you complete the checklist tasks. To open this checklist you have to click on System administration — > Setup –> Checklists –> Software update checklist.

 


 

 

 

This entry was posted in General, Technical. Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply